Closure cap for inspection holes

ABSTRACT

This invention relates to a closure cap for inspection holes in the walls of housings of tool and fabrication machines, vehicles and the like. In particular for land and sea vehicles there is the desire to close holes in the housing or in the body with a closure cap, said holes serving an inspection of some parts or having to be accessible only occasionally for other reasons, said closure cap permitting a ready attachment and releasing again also without any particular difficulties, but on the other hand at least dustproof, if possible even spray-waterproof closing the hole in the wall. This closure cap is to also be able to be made in a simple and economical way, since it is to be removed and applied again by less skilled persons also depending on circumstances, and is to be formed simple and sturdy and is to be easy to handle.

United States Patent Wibrow l54l CLOSURE CAP FOR INSPECTION HOLES [72]Inventor: Gunter Wibrow, Bez Hamburg, Germany [73] Assignee: ITW-AtecoG.m.b.I-l., Norderstedt,

Germany 22 Filed: July 19,1971

21 Appl. No.: 163,632

[52] US. Cl. ..220/25, 220/55 W [51] Int. Cl. ..B65d 45/00 [58] Field ofSearch ..220/55 L, 46 R, 25, 55 W [56] References Cited UNITED STATESPATENTS 250,243 11/1881 Heyl ..220/55 L 1,927,657 9/1933 Evans ..220/55W 151 3,706,391 [4 1 Dec. 19, 1972 Primary Examiner-M. Henson Wood, Jr.Assistant Examiner-John J. Love Attorney-Robert W. Beart et al.

[57] ABSTRACT This invention relates tov a closure cap for inspectionholes in the walls of housings of tool and fabrication machines,vehicles and the like. ln particular for land and sea vehicles there isthe desire to close holes in the housing or in the body with a closurecapQsaid holes serving an inspection of some parts or having to beaccessible only occasionally for other reasons, said closure cappermitting a ready attachment and releasing again also without anyparticular difficulties, but on the other hand at least dustproof, ifpossible even spray-waterproof closing the hole in the wall. Thisclosure cap is to also be able to be made in a simple and economicalway, since it is to be removed and applied again by less skilled personsalso depending on circumstances, and is to be formed simple and sturdyand is to be easy to handle.

8 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures FATENTED DEC 19 m2 SHEET 1 [IF 3PATENTEDUECIS I972 3.706. 391

sum 3 or 3 /n vynzor: Gunfer l V/brow His Any:

CLOSURE CAP FOR INSPECTION HOLES SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION For theforegoing reasons screw caps cannot be considered having threads whichcan easy be damaged just as well as other closure caps cannot beconsidered having complicated closure means.

The simple plugs also used some times, which are merely pressed into theholes and are retained therein by friction or also by elasticallyprojecting lugs are not suited for the purposes under considerationhere, since they on the one hand tend to drop out in case of vibrationslike they occur in machines as well as in vehicles and because they onthe other hand are difficult to apply or to be released again, inparticular for big holes, in case a sealing closure is desired.

An object of the invention therefore is to provide a simple andeffective closure cap for inspection holes, which can at any time andwithout any difficulties be released and applied again, sealingly, butwhich on the other hand does not have the disadvantages of the citedconventional closure caps.

According to the invention it is provided for that the closure capincludes a generally disc-shaped base body provided with a central boreand superimposing the margins of the wall opening with its margin aswell as a spider-shaped lock body inserted in the base body androtatable relative thereto of a soft resilient material, in particularplastic. The base body is capable of being inserted in the opening andhas an annulus provided with a plurality of passages, while the lockbody includes a collar capable of being inserted in the central bore ofthe base body one or more engaging surfaces for a tool for retaining thelock body and integral fingers projecting outwardly from this collar.These fingers are offset respectively along a'portion of their length,all in the same rotational sense, a portion of their length extendinginclined relative to the radius passing through its junction with thecollar. The free ends of these fingers respectively extend into the saidpassages in the annulus of the base body.

In case this closurecap is to be inserted in an inspection hole, thelock body is rotated in the one rotational direction by applying a toolto the engaging surfaces provided for this purpose in such a way thatthe ends of the fingers are positioned within the annulus of the basebody. Then the base body is inserted with its annulus in the wallopening until the outer margin tightly and sealingly abuts the marginsof the opening. Then the lock body is rotated relative to the base bodyin the opposite direction. Thereby the ends of the fingers forcedly areshifted through the passages in the annulus of the base body outwardlyand engage underneath the margin of the wall opening and therebyunlooseably retain the closure cap, since between the finger ends on theone hand and the superimposed margin of the base body on the other handan according spacing is provided.

Although preferably such closure bodies are required for circular wallopenings, it is expressively emphasized that the invention also includesclosure caps for openings formed in a geometrically different way, forinstance square openings.

The number of the fingers of the lock body depends on the shape and sizeof the closure cap as well as other requirements differing from case tocase.

The engaging surfaces provided for applying a tool for retaining thelock body are preferably defined by a non-circular configuration of therecess of the collar. Preferably the collar is closed by a wall formedintegral therewith, and the non-circular recess is disposed within thiswall.

In order to prevent a dropping out of the lock body for instance as aresult of vibrations, in a further development of the invention 'it isproposed that the collar of the lock body is provided at its free end atthe outside with an annular bead. This annular bead is first of allresiliently compressed in radial direction when applying the collar inthe central opening of the base body and then snaps resilientlyoutwardly after inserting the collar and engages behind the margin ofthe central opening of the base body.

In order to enhance the retaining effect of the fingers of the lockbody, it is furthermore proposed that the ends of the fingers are formedenlarged relative to the central portions thereof. The central portionsthemselves will be formed comparatively thin in order to facilitate anaccording deformation of the fingers when rotating the lock body.

In order to furthermore prevent that the ends of the fingers whenrotating the lock body in its releasing position slide entirely out ofthe passages in the annulus of the base body in case of an unskilled useand later do not find back into these holes when rotating it into thelock position, it is provided according to the invention to arrange aweb extending generally radially inwardly from the annulus thereof tothe proximity of the central aperture within the base body adjacent toeach passage, the web with a surface thereof facing the adjacent passageserving as a guide surface for the end of the finger of the lock bodydisposed there. These guide surfaces directly guide the finger end intothe passage in the annulus of the base body when the lock body isrotated.

In order to on the other hand prevent a too great rotation of the lockbody into thereleasing position, in a further development of theinvention it is provided for that noses are arranged at the fingers inthe vicinity of their junctions with the collar, but opposite to thedirection of the fingers themselves, said noses engaging the web locatedthere in case of a retrograde rotation of the lock body after apredetermined angular rotation, thereby limiting the rotation of thelock body in a releasing direction.

According lock noses can also be provided for limiting the rotation ofthe lock body in the locking direction, in particular at the ends of thefingers.

In order to accomplish a particularly satisfactory sealing and at thesame time a resilient retaining arrangement, it is furthermore proposedthat the outer margin of the base body superimposing the wall opening isformed tapered lip-like and converging to the wall surface at a flatangle and that the base body is formed in one piece of a soft resilientmaterial, in particular plastic.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The invention is explained in closerdetail hereinafter in referring to an embodiment on the basis of thedrawing. Therein:

FIG. 1 is a bottom view of the closure cap according to this invention;

1060!! OIIS DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT I The base body 1 inparticular illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3 is generally formed disc-shapedand is provided with acentral bore 2. It is of such a large size thatits 'outer margin 3 superimposes the margins of the wall opening. On thebottom side an annulus 4 is integrally connected. to the base body madeof plastic, which has a plurality of circumferentially spaced passages5.

Adjacent each passage in counter-clockwise direction a web 13 extendsaway from the annulus 4 generally radially inwardly to the proximity ofthe central bore 2. The surface 14 adjacent to each passage 5 of thisweb serves as a guide surface for the fingers of the lock body, as willbeset forth hereinafter.

The spider-shaped lock body 6 likewise made of soft resilient plastichas been illustrated individually in FIGS. 4 and 5. It includes a collar7 and offset fingers 8 integrally in setting out therefrom, the ends 9of which are thickened and are dimensioned in such away that they caneasily be pushed through the said passages 5 of the base body I.

At the junction of the fingers with the collar 7 these are even thinnerthan at their central portion so that they are hinge-like pivoted tosaid collar 7. In the vicinity of the pivot junction a short noseextends away from each finger 7 in opposite direction.

At its free end thecollar 7 at the outside carries an annular bead 12which tapers outwardly toward the free end.

- At the other axial end the collar 7 is closed by a wall 10 in which aslot 1 1 is provided for accepting a screwdriver.

y In FIG. 1 the closure cap combined of two parts has 7 been illustratedin a bottom view. The spider-shaped lock member 6 is positioned in thebase body 1, the collar 7 extending through the central bore 2 andprojecting with its annular bead 12 beyond the top side of the base bodyin the vicinity of the central bore, a fact which cannot be recognizedin FIG. 1. This bead 12 has been pressed through the central bore in aresilient compression and has been rec'oiled outwardly again so that thelock body 6 is retained unlooseably, but freely rotatable in the basebody.

In the position illustrated in FIG. 1 of the closure cap the ends 9 ofthe individual fingers are in the passages 5 of the base body 1, but donot project beyond the periphery of the annular portion 4 of the basebody.

If the collar 7 of the lock body 6 is rotated, however, in acounter-clockwise direction (in FIG. 1), the outer ends 9 of the fingers8 forcedly are moved radially outwardly and thereby project beyond theperiphery of the annulus 4 of the base body 1. In this position theyengage behind the margin of the opening in the wall and retain ittightly seated therein. For this rotational movement the surfaces 14 ofthe individual webs 13 which are closely disposed adjacent to therespective passage 5 in the annulus 4 of the base body serve as guidesurfaces for the ends 9 of the fingers and reliably guide these fingerends into the passage, as has been stated before.

When the collar 7 of the annular body is turned back again in theclock-wise direction into the releasing position illustrated in FIG. 1,however, an over-turning is prevented by the noses 15 at the junctionsof the fingers 8, since these noses abut the webs 13 of the adjacentweb.

I claim:

1. Closure cap for inspection holes in the walls of housings and thelike, characterized by a generally discshaped base body 1 provided witha central bore 2 and superimposing the margins of the wall opening withits margin 3, said base body having an annulus 4 capable of beinginserted in the opening and provided with a plurality of passages 5, aswell as by a spider-shaped lock body 6 inserted in the base body androtatable relative thereto of a soft resilient material, in particularplastic,'which includes a collar 7 insertable in the central bore 2 ofthe base body 1, one or more engaging surfaces fora tool and fingers 8integrally projecting outwardly from said collar, said fingers eachextending over a portion of their length inclined relative to the radiusthrough their junction with the collar, all fingers being offset in thesame rotational sense and the free ends 9 of said fingers respectivelyextending into the passages 5 in the annulus of the base body.

2. Closure cap according to claim 1, characterized in that the engagingsurfaces at the collar of the lock body are defined by a noncircularconfiguration of the recess of the collar.

3. Closure cap according to claim 2, characterized in that the nonroundrecess 11 is provided in a wall 10 closing the collar and formedintegral therewith.

4. Closure cap according to claim 3,'characterized in that the collar 7of the lock body is provided at its free end outwardly with an annularbead 12 for an unlooseable attachment to the base body.

5. Closure cap according to claim 1, characterized in that the ends 9 ofthe fingers are formed widened relative to the central portions thereof.

6. Closure cap according to claim 1, characterized by webs 13 arrangedgenerally star-like within the base body adjacent each passage andextending from the ring thereof inwardly to the vicinity of the centralopening, the surfaces 14 of said webs facing the passages 5 in theannulus of the lock body serving as guide surfaces for the ends 9 ofsaid fingers.

7. Closure cap according to claim 6, characterized by noses 15projecting from the fingers in the vicinity of their junctions with thecollar opposite to the direction of these fingers for limiting therotation of the lock body in releasing direction.

8. Closure cap according to claim 7, characterized in that the outermargin 3 of the base body superimposing the wall opening is formedlip-shaped tapered and converging toward the wall surface at a flatangle and the base body is made in one piece of a soft resilientmaterial, in particular plastic.

1. Closure cap for inspection holes in the walls of housings and thelike, characterized by a generally disc-shaped base body 1 provided witha central bore 2 and superimposing the margins of the wall opening withits margin 3, said base body having an annulus 4 capable of beinginserted in the opening and provided with a plurality of passages 5, aswell as by a spider-shaped lock body 6 inserted in the base body androtatable relative thereto of a soft resilient material, in particularplastic, which includes a collar 7 insertable in the central bore 2 ofthe base body 1, one or more engaging surfaces for a tool and fingers 8integrally projecting outwardly from said collar, said fingers eachextending over a portion of their length inclined relative to the radiusthrough their junction with the collar, all fingers being offset in thesame rotational sense and the free ends 9 of said fingers respectivelyextending into the passages 5 in the annulus of the base body. 2.Closure cap according to claim 1, characterized in that the engagingsurfaces at the collar of the lock body are defined by a noncircularconfiguration of the recess of the collar.
 3. Closure cap according toclaim 2, characterized in that the nonround recess 11 is provided in awall 10 closing the collar and formed integral therewith.
 4. Closure capaccording to claim 3, characterized in that the collar 7 of the lockbody is provided at its free end outwardly with an annular bead 12 foran unlooseable attachment to the base body.
 5. Closure cap according toclaim 1, characterized in that the ends 9 of the fingers are formedwidened relative to the central portions thereof.
 6. Closure capaccording to claim 1, characterized by webs 13 arranged generallystar-like within the base body adjacent each passage and extending fromthe ring thereof inwardly to the vicinity of the central opening, thesurfaces 14 of said webs facing the passages 5 in the annulus of thelock body serving as guide surfaces for the ends 9 of said fingers. 7.Closure cap according to claim 6, characterized by noses 15 projectingfrom the fingers in the vicinity of their junctions with the collaropposite to the direction of these fingers for limiting the rotation ofthe lock body in releasing direction.
 8. Closure cap according to claim7, characterized in that the outer margin 3 of the base bodysuperimposing the wall opening is formed lip-shaped tapered andconverging toward the wall surface at a flat angle and the base body ismade in one piece of a soft resilient material, in particular plastic.